Prologue

Prologue 

"Hello, somebody help me, please! Anybody, can you hear me?" I called out, my voice echoing in the confined space.

"Keep your mouth shut and remain calm. No one can hear you," a gruff voice responded.

"Please, where am I? Why am I being tied up? I need to go back to my husband and family," I pleaded with my vision blurry.

The short, bald man gave a long, mocking laugh. "Husband? The same husband who has rejected you and sold you out?"

"Sold? What do you mean sold? He would never do that," I said, my voice shaking.

"You have been sold, and you are going to meet your new owner. So stop screaming and preserve your strength. I will bring you food later." With that, he left.

I sank to the floor as tears flooded my eyes….

Being sold for the second time, here I was, tied up in a container on a ship in the middle of an ocean, heading to an unknown destination. 

The only thing I could remember was driving to the office to meet up with Carl for the investors meeting when a car ran into mine, causing my car to somersault. 

Because of my negligence and rushing to get to the office, I forgot to wear a seatbelt. I was ejected from the car, landing hard on the ground. 

I struggled desperately to rise but was devoid of strength, my whole body throbbing with pain until I became unconscious. Only to wake up and find myself here.

Pain radiated throughout my body, especially my face.

*************

The man in charge, I guess, came back afterwards with some bread and water, which I grabbed quickly from his hands and shoved into my mouth. I was famished and couldn't take it slowly. 

I didn't wait to swallow the bread before gulping the water down my throat. After that, I fell asleep, only to be woken up by the clicking sound of the keys used to lock the container I was in.

I opened my eyes and stretched my weak body. I didn't know how long I had been in the container.

He got in and untied me, leading me out.

"Is she the one?" a deep, husky voice said.

"Yes, boss, she is," the man replied.

He walked towards me slowly and stopped right in front of me, puffing thick smoke into the air.

"She would serve just fine as my sex slave. Get her in the car," he said.

"Sex what?!" I blurted out, throwing up on his clothes….

Chapter 1

Mia's POV 

Years earlier…..

I stepped out of the company entrance, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on my shoulders.

 The constant nagging from my boss, and his never-ending errands had left me mentally and physically exhausted. 

As I walked down the street, memories I had fought so hard to forget about that night began to resurface.

My heart raced as flashes of that night, that mistake, crept back into my mind.

It had been one of those nights—too much to drink, too much to forget. The loud music, the dim lights, and the haze of alcohol had drowned my senses. All I had wanted was an escape from my own thoughts. But I had gone too far.

I woke up the next morning in a strange bed. My head was pounding, my body aching. The faint scent of expensive cologne hung in the air, and my pulse quickened as I realized I wasn't alone. 

Lying next to me was a man, a stranger. His face was calm in sleep, his features sharp and strong, but I didn't recognize him. My heart raced with panic. What had I done?

With trembling hands, I quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to make a sound. My clothes were scattered around the room, a silent reminder of the night I wished I could erase. I dressed hastily, avoiding looking at him again.

The memory of the tangled sheets and the reckless decisions filled me with shame. I grabbed my bag and bolted out of the room, my breath catching in my throat as I ran down the hotel hallway, desperate to leave it all behind.

I thought I'd escaped that night, buried it deep, and that it would never resurface. But life had a cruel sense of irony. I saw him again.

I sighed heavily, spotting a cab in the distance and waving it down, but it sped by without stopping.

"How am I supposed to get home now?" I muttered to myself, frustration evident in my voice.

The streets were nearly empty, with most workers already gone for the night. 

Biting my upper lip in frustration, I decided to walk further in hopes of finding another cab.

Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly noticed a black car speeding towards me. I barely managed to run out of its path in time. 

"Are you drunk? Didn't you see me?" I yelled at the car. "Crazy people who call themselves drivers," I grumbled. 

The car screeched to a halt behind me, its windows tinted black. Unable to see inside, I dismissed the incident and continued walking, trying to find another cab.

Suddenly, I felt someone approaching from behind. Before I could react, a strong grip seized my arm. 

My eyes were blindfolded, and I was lifted off the ground, thrown into the back of the car. 

"Please, let me go! I don't have money or anything valuable. I only have my cab fare in my bag. You can take it, but please, let me go," I pleaded, my voice trembling with fear.

"Young lady, keep quiet," a man sitting beside me commanded.I sobbed quietly, begging them not to kill me. 

The driver yelled, "Shut up!" and sealed my mouth with tape, ignoring my pleas.

After what felt like an eternity, we arrived at a mansion. I was roughly dragged out of the car and led inside. 

Confused and terrified, I was pushed into a room, and the door was locked behind me. I tried the door knob, but it wouldn't open. Sliding down the wall, I sank to the floor, tears streaming down my face. 

My bag was taken from me,I had no way to call for help. Exhausted and scared, I cried myself to sleep on the floor .

The next morning, the sound of people moving in and out of the room woke me. 

A woman in her 30s approached me. "Ma'am, I'm Sharon. Please go and take your bath so we can have your makeup and dress done on time."I stared at her, bewildered, although her face rang a bell.

A beautiful wedding gown lay on the bed, along with makeup supplies and a pair of silver heels. 

Still in disbelief, I pinched myself, hoping to wake up from this nightmare."Ma'am, your bath is ready," one of the maids said, leading me to the bathroom. 

I followed her slowly, my legs heavy with dread, still in doubt and confused about everything happening. While in the bathroom, I heard a familiar voice and rushed out. 

"Oh, thank goodness," I murmured in relief as I registered the face before me. "Everyone here is crazy. I don't know what's happening..." I trailed off as a realization struck me.

"Wait, what are you doing here?" My eyes narrowed with suspicion as I stared at her. "I haven't seen you for over a year.” After her 7th wedding, in the past 7 years she has being getting in and out of marriage.

"Stop being a drama queen and come get prepared for your big day," my mother, Mathilda Pankraz, replied, rolling her eyes as she walked to the dress on the bed and looked at it closely.

"What do you mean, Mom? What are you talking about?" I asked, confused and puzzled.

"Where are the maids? Come on, get my daughter ready for her big day. We don't have much time," my mom ordered.

"This must be some sort of joke," I muttered.

"Ma'am, are you ready for your makeup?" the makeup artist asked.

"Now I remember you. You did my mom's makeup for her last wedding," I said, recognizing the artist.

"Yes, and today it's your wedding. I'm privileged to be your makeup artist for your big day," she said, smiling.

"My what?" I screamed, my eyes widening in shock……

I felt a rush of panic wash over me.

"My wedding?" I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. 

My breath quickened, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.

 This couldn't be happening."Ma'am, please remain calm," Sharon said, her voice gentle but firm.

I wasn't calm. Not even close. I began to hyperventilate, my vision blurring with tears. 

Seeing my distress, my mother motioned to one of the guards. 

A tall, burly man stepped forward, his expression stern."Keep an eye on her," my mother ordered, her voice cold and unyielding. "We don't have time for her antics today.

"I was dressed reluctantly, each piece of the wedding ensemble feeling like a shackle. Despite my resistance, the makeup artists and maids managed to make me look stunning. 

The dress was beautiful but unbearably clingy and uncomfortable. I could hardly breathe, let alone think straight.

Staring at my reflection in the standing mirror, I barely recognized the woman looking back at me.

 My face, expertly made up, hid the pain inside. I saw a young woman on the verge of a breakdown, trapped in a nightmare she couldn't escape.

Everyone around me was preoccupied with their tasks, giving me a fleeting sense of freedom. I needed to act quickly.

 I stepped towards the door, trying to leave the room unnoticed.

"Where are you headed?" a voice called from behind.I froze, closing my eyes briefly before turning to face him with a forced smile.

 "I need to talk to my mom. I lied.

 Can you tell me where she might be?"

"She's in the garden outside," he replied, eyeing me suspiciously."Thank you," I said, my voice trembling. 

As I tried to walk away, he stopped me again. "You can't move around without a guard."

"Please, I just want to talk to her for a few seconds. I'll be right back," I pleaded, my desperation evident.

After a moment of hesitation, he reluctantly agreed. The mansion was enormous, and I did my best to avoid being seen. Reaching the main entrance, I saw people milling about and knew I had to find another way out.

I held up my gown and hurried down the hallway to the kitchen. Spotting a door, I smiled to myself, but my relief was short-lived, it was locked.

I looked around and noticed a bunch of keys hanging nearby and quickly grabbed them, trying each one until I heard a satisfying click. 

The door swung open.As I unbolted the door, I heard noises behind me but didn't dare look back. I took off my shoes and ran as fast as I could, my heart pounding in my ears.

********************

"Please call out the bride," Mathilda Pankraz instructed, her voice authoritative.

"She's not here, ma'am. She asked to speak with you," one of the maids responded.

"Speak with me? I haven't seen her, and I gave strict instructions not to let her out," Mathilda said, her voice rising in anger. 

"Who let her out?" she screamed, her eyes flashing with fury.

She stormed over to the guard, her face livid. "Find her!!!"